More Than That
by kakumeimei
Summary: UPDATED! If you thought nothing happened between Hiei and Keiko when he first kidnapped her, you were wrong. Very wrong. Keiko's finally realizing this, but how will she react? HieixKeiko Review! I order you to!
1. Prologue: Dreams of Reality

More Than That

By Melissa Tachigawa

Melissa: Hey there! Woot! I'm writing a Hiei/Keiko fic! ^-^

Miyu: And WHY are you doing that? I thought you hated Keiko, and there's also the FIVE other fics that you have to update.

Melissa: () …I know. It's just, I HAD to write this. I love Hiei/Keiko pairings. So here we go!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Prologue: Dreams of reality

      I've been having these weird dreams lately. Yusuke's in it, Botan-chan is too, and that short fire demon—I think his name's Hiei—is there as well. Yusuke's fighting Hiei, and Botan's hovering right above me with her hand poised above my forehead. She looks like she's in so much pain, and I have no clue why. I hear Yusuke groaning in pain from behind the crates to my side, and Hiei's sinister chuckle comes afterward. There's another strained moan, and then another haughty laugh… And then I wake up.

      But there's more to the dream than that. Before Yusuke and Botan showed up, Hiei and I were alone. My sight was blurred, but I know it was Hiei who was standing right next to me, watching the steady rise and fall of my chest as my lungs drew in sharp breaths.

      He kneeled down and touched my cheek. His hands, worn, rough, and cold from his many sessions of swordsmanship training, made me wince at the touch. But there was a feeling of comfort and warmth in them, like a tenderness I could never hope to understand. I could feel his breath blowing gently against my skin, and I could feel him gazing at me with a longing that I did not, and could not comprehend.

      Then he kissed me. Despite my instincts, his lips were not the dry and brittle sensation that I expected. Instead, they were soft and gentle, like the velveteen coat of a newborn bunny was caressing my lips. He must have really gotten into it, because I could feel his lips nuzzling mine. And the strange thing was, I didn't want him to stop.

      Sometimes I wonder what Yusuke would say if I told him about these dreams. Of course, I wouldn't tell him; he'd probably think I was just being paranoid…or that I needed to get laid. He's such a pervert. If it had been a while back, he would've blown a fuse in a jealous rage. But thankfully, our relationship's matured way beyond that. He's like a big brother to me, although I'm older than him. We may have cared for each other back then, but now we're just best friends and we'd never jeopardize our friendship by putting it in such an awkward situation. 

      But I still wonder what he'd say if he found out I was dreaming about Hiei. But even more than that, I wonder if Hiei dreams of me. I can't help myself; ever since Shizuru-san and I forced Botan-chan to take here to Hanging Neck Island, I've found myself thinking more and more of the dreams, of Hiei. At first I thought the dreams were just something of my imagination, but now that I'm here and I can see Hiei with my very own eyes, I know there has to be something more to them. I need to know if Hiei ever really did think romantically about me.

      … Because I know I have of him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Melissa: Yeesh, that was a REALLY short prologue. But it WILL get longer, I think. ^^;; Oh, and for all of you who didn't know, Keiko IS older than Yusuke. Her birthday is January 31, and his is April 3.

Miyu: You have another announcement to make, ne?

Melissa: Hai! Okie, here's my flame policy. I realize that there are many people that do not like Hiei/Keiko pairings, but I gave you fair warning of that in the disclaimer. So if you don't like it, why are you reading it? If you flame me for that, I will report you to abuse, so there.

Miyu: Anything else?

Melissa: Oh, yeah, there's more. I will accept all other flames, just as long as they have a reason. Got that? But reviews are appreciated much more. So please review or whatever! Have a nice day! ^_^

Miyu: Or you can just die.

Melissa: You are so evil.

Miyu: I know. ^-^


	2. Chapter 1: First confrontation

Melissa: Ya know what I just realized? I kinda forgot the disclaimer last chappy… ()

Miyu: It just shows how stupid you really are.

Melissa: Did I ask you?

Miyu: No, but I'm a very outspoken person.

Melissa: . Whatever. Anyway, thankies so much for the reviews! I'm glad I'm not the only Hiei/Keiko fan out there. ^_^ Let's start the chappy! Oh, and I should tell you that only the prologue was in first person.

Disclaimer: Whoa, almost forgot it again… Uh, I don't own YYH.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 1: First confrontation

        The stay on Hanging Neck Island had certainly started off rocky. The gang had just returned from their first fight, the match with Team Rokuyukai (sp?). The guys had all come back in one piece, more or less. Hiei had singe marks all over himself (which clearly unnerved Keiko), Kuwabara's entire body was bruised from the slams and blows that Rinku had landed on him, Kurama was both bruised and bloodied from Roto's attack, and not only did Yusuke have a large bump on his forehead, but he also returned to the hotel room without a shirt.

        Keiko had been tense during the entire match. She was writhing around in her seat all throughout Hiei's dance with death, and could no longer take it by the time Yusuke and Chuu started their knife blade death match. She ran down to the arena floor and begged Kuwabara to get Yusuke out of the ring, but to no avail. But in truth, her worried demeanor was actually a guise to conceal her actual feelings. She was really more concerned about Hiei's well being, and found that Yusuke's fight would be the perfect motive for her to run down and see Hiei.

        Now mind you, to say that Keiko loved Hiei would be incorrect. She obviously had feelings for him, but she wasn't quite sure _what_ they were. Love was too strong of a word, and curiosity was an understatement.  *Maybe I really am paranoid,* she would think after another one of her freakish dreams. *I just need to clear my head, that's all.*

        She'd been having many of those dreams lately. One in particular had her extremely confused. It was the same scene, and Hiei had just kissed her. But the strange thing was that she didn't want him to stop. She woke up just as Yusuke had broken down the warehouse door, sweat forming on her brow and her lips tingling as if the kiss had been real. She didn't sleep the rest of the night.

         But she had to put her thoughts behind her now. She was currently on Hanging Neck Island, a brooding ground for bloodthirsty demons, and she had to watch her back. She would be easy prey if a band of youkai caught her off guard while thinking of Hiei.

        So now they were in their lavish hotel room, generously (but probably not sincerely) given to them by the Dark Tournament committee. Kurama and Kuwabara had started a game of cards and the girls (with the exception of Keiko, more or less) had gleefully joined in. Keiko was sitting on the couch next to the blue-haired deity known as Botan, and having quite a bit of trouble concentrating. She simply sat there with her fingers fidgeting with the hand of cards and her lips pursed. It may have looked like she was strategizing on the card game, but in truth her mind was on the fire apparition sitting on the windowsill. 

        "Hiei, come play with us," said the red-haired fox with a warm grin. "We're like a big family." (A/n: I probably butchered that line… Gomen, Kurama. ())

        Hiei turned to Kurama and answered him with a blatant stare and a "hn". He then effortlessly jumped off of the sill and walked out the door.

        Keiko watched Hiei walk out intently, a look of worry slightly grazing her face. "Where is he going?" she asked the remainder of the people in the room.

        "Probably off to take a walk," Kurama said as he rearranged his cards.

        "Oh." Keiko sighed. She'd been hoping that this would be her chance to get to talk to Hiei. *What a bummer,* she thought.

        "Hey, Keiko? You still on earth?" Shizuru waved a hand in front of Keiko's face, trying to get her attention. "Earth to Keiko, do you copy?"

        "Huh?" Keiko blinked a couple of times, and then turned to Shizuru, looking confused. "What is it?" she asked.

        Shizuru's lips curled into her usual apathetic grin. "You were spacing out. It's your turn."

        "Oh," Keiko said as she looked down at her cards once more. After a couple of seconds of attempted concentration, she put her cards down in failure. She then got up and headed to the door, grabbing her coat on the way. 

        "Daijobu, Keiko-chan?" Botan asked. "Aren't you going to play with us?"

        Keiko turned to Botan and frantically thought of an excuse for her to leave. "Um… I'm going to take a walk too." She rushed out the door, bypassing a slightly stunned Yusuke who happened to be standing in the doorway.

        "What's with her?" Yusuke inquired as he took the empty seat next to Botan. "She seemed awfully hurried."

        "Said she was gonna take a walk," Kuwabara told him without even looking up from his cards.

        A sly grin found its place on Botan's lips as a mischievous twinkle lit up her pink eyes. "Well, in my opinion, she's gone off to follow Hiei," she stated. That was Botan for you, always giddy and excited over silly love stories that may not even be true.

        Kuwabara looked at Botan with disbelief. "You think Keiko's fallen for the runt?"

        "Yeah, well more power to her," said Yusuke, taking a look at the cards that Keiko had discarded earlier. "Knowing her, she'll fall for whoever she wants to, no matter what anyone else says. Damn, these were crappy cards…"

        Kurama smiled and gave a small chuckle. "You're not jealous, Yusuke?" he asked.

        "Nah," Yusuke declined as he tossed a blue chip into the pot. "Keiko's my best friend. She's like a sister to me…a brainy, over-achieving, and nagging sister. Besides, she might be good for Hiei. Trust me, her slaps do wonders."

*~*~

        Keiko was walking around the forest that stood nearby the Ankoku Bujutsukkai hotel. A cool breeze blew through her chestnut hair and she wrapped her coat around herself tighter to keep the warmth in. She'd been wandering about for thirty minutes now, and still had no idea as to where Hiei could be.

        *Where is he?* Keiko thought, her eyebrows furrowing. *Or better yet, why am I looking for him? It's not like I love the guy or anything. Maybe I should just go back. That dream's probably just my imagination or something.*

        As she turned back toward the hotel, her ears caught the sound of a rustle in the trees nearby. However, no wind was blowing about. Keiko grinned victoriously and headed back into the forest. *I've got you now, Hiei, and you are gonna give me answers weather you like it or not.*

        She kept walking toward the rustling sound, which seemed to be getting further and further from her as she traveled deeper into the forest. That could only mean one thing; Hiei was trying to lose her. But even with this information, Keiko continued to follow after him, completely intent on finding him and saying _something_ to him, even if it was "…Er…shmuck?"

        That is, she _was_ intent on following him, right up to the point where she fell over the upturned tree root. You see, while searching for Hiei, Keiko's head was focused on the canopies above her, and so she didn't notice the miniscule yet still effective obstacle in front of her.

        Keiko groaned in pain and pushed off of her elbows, propping her onto her back. There were a few twigs stuck in her now-disheveled hair and her skin felt grimy with dirt. There was one particular smudge on the tip of her nose that was really bugging her. Also, her maroon leggings and gray sweater were equally soiled. She sat up and inspected the damage done, only to find that there was a large hole ripped into her pant leg right above her right knee. 

        "Oh great…" she muttered through gritted teeth. "Stupid, stupid, STUPID Keiko!" 

        Keiko made a feeble attempt at getting back on her feet, but then fell back down as a twang of pain shot throughout her ankle. She lay back down, and quietly cursed the situation she was in until a black blur caught her eye. Before she knew it, she was standing again (though rather wobbly) and beside her was Hiei.

        "Baka ningen," Hiei scolded her as he wiped the dirt off of his black pants. He lifted his crimson pupils to Keiko in his usual stoic and defiant stare, and then spoke once again. "Can't even follow someone without tripping."

        _SMACK!!_

        Apparently, Keiko took his remark offensively because the next thing Hiei knew, he was lying face down on the cold forest floor with a bright red handprint on his left cheek. His eyes flared angrily and he scrambled up to his feet. Within less than a second, he was in Keiko's face and glaring his signature death glare. 

        "What did you do that for, onna?! I helped you up, didn't I?" His voice was murderous, as if he had never been slapped before, although that was hard to believe. He was about to continue his irate rant until Keiko silenced him with her own.

        "What do you think I did that for?!" she spat back, the same ferocity that Hiei possessed reflected possibly ten-fold in her sepia eyes. "You _insulted_ me, you jerk! What were you expecting me to do, hug you?!"

        There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, and then Hiei spoke again. This time, there was an air of cocky confidence in his tone; not arrogant like Yusuke's, but calm and reserved. 

        "You wanted to earlier," he responded with a smirk.

        Keiko threw her arms down to her sides defiantly with her hands balled into fists. Her face was flushed with anger as she stared down the Jaganshi. "And just what is that supposed to mean?!" she yelled, making a few birds fly out of their trees.

        "You know what it means," Hiei said coolly. "Not only have you been following me, but you were staring at me during the entire match."

        *He noticed?!* Keiko's mind screamed as a sweat drop fell down the side of her head. She shook it off and in its place was a large vein that was convulsing violently. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her arms were shaking from the tension. And then…

        _WHAM!!_

        Hiei hit the ground once again, now with swirly eyes and two red, blotchy cheeks. He blinked the swirls out of his eyes and got up, only to be greeted by a still fuming Keiko. Her exposition was so fierce that he actually shrank back a bit in fear.

        "And here I was thinking that _no one_ was more infuriating than Yusuke!" she bellowed, adding in another slap to Hiei's face. "Besides, it's not like I could help the fact that I thought you were a good kisser!!" She was about to slap him again, but then she realized she couldn't take back what she had just said. 

        "NANI?!?!" Hiei asked, so stunned that his voice came out in a squeak. 

        Keiko slapped her hands over her mouth, looking just as mortified as he did. "I… I… What I mean is…uh…" She could feel her cover blowing out from underneath her and felt her face grow even hotter. "I… I'm going back to my room," she declared, eager to get out of the forest and out of the nightmare that she had just gotten herself into.

        She turned to leave, but Hiei stood right in front of her, glaring murderously once again. She tried to side step him, and even shove him out of the way, but in the end it all bore fruitless. 

        "Will you _please_ get out of my way?" Keiko asked, her face still as red as Hiei's eyes. She was panicking, and she needed to get out of there.

        Hiei shook his head impudently. "No. You're not going anywhere until you tell me about this kissing business," he growled, daring her to try to get away.

        But unbeknownst to him, Keiko was just as stubborn as he was. *Gotta get out of here…* she thought, her mind racing. *How do I…ah ha!* She grinned at him, making it obvious that she held the trump card that would make him leave her alone. He looked wary of this, but then shrugged it off. She however, was still grinning cheekily.

        "If you don't let me go," she began, her tone even and calm, "I'll scream loud enough to wake the dead. And just what will you do when people come looking and find that you're harassing a poor, teenage, ningen girl?"

        Hiei's pupils shrank in horror. *She… She didn't!* he thought. She was accusing him of harassment! Sure, he had been slapped a few times by girls, but never had they gone this far. He couldn't believe it; it was simply mind-blowing.

        "Why you little…" he snarled at her, but her smirk never wavered.

        "Are you gonna let me go or what?" she asked smugly, smiling with a faux innocence.

        Hiei disappeared, and then reappeared a fraction of a second later high up in a tree. He shot Keiko a look that said "I despise you", and then let out a low "hn".

        Keiko braggingly beamed at him, and then started skipping off. After skipping about a yard away, she stopped with a look of curiosity on her face. "Hey, Hiei, what's 'hn' supposed to mean, anyway?"

        Hiei indignantly turned away and laid his back against the trunk of the tree with his eyes closed. She wasn't going to get an answer from him any time soon.

        Keiko's smirk faded at this, and she crossed her arms irritably. *He gave me the cold shoulder, the jerk!* She walked off with a discourteous grunt and called out, "Men, honestly!"

        Hiei just smirked with satisfaction. *She's cute for a ningen, but is she ever hotheaded.*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Melissa: See? I told y'all it would get longer.

Miyu: (looking at reviews) Wow, SIX of them for one chapter and in ONE day? 

Melissa: I know! I'm so happy I could spit!

Miyu: Please don't.

Melissa: Fine. Anyway, you send in more reviews, I update sooner. You guys totally inspired me to write this chappy! And not even one flame! ^_^

Supreme Neo Countess-

Miyu: Yeah, all of those flamers are just jerks. It's their loss.

Melissa: Wow, Miyu-chan, you said something nice!

Miyu: Don't get used to it.

Melissa: So, how was that chappy? Hope it was good! Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Shiro Ryu-

Miyu: Whoa, someone said Melissa's writing was good?!

Melissa: I'm so happy! ^_^_^_^_^_^ And wow, I was actually begged for another chapter?! Overwhelming pride… Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Rose Angelz-

Melissa: Yeah, it doesn't say which year (although I did find a site that said Yusuke's birth year was 1982 O_o), but since their both 14, it's safe to assume that she's older, right? Also, it's a shared theory of many other authors, including myself. Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Edainme-

Miyu: Yeah, the baka's obsessed with Hiei/Keiko pairings too. 

Melissa: (- the baka Miyu's talking about) . Oh, you are too kind. But I didn't think that the prologue was that funny… Was this chappy funny?

Miyu: Oh, and as for those dreams, they're not gonna pop up anytime soon. Sorry about that, but they were just for the plot.

Melissa: ^^;; Yeah, that's true. But thank you so much for your kind review! I really liked it! ^_^

bit-Blackmage-

Melissa: Yeah… Aries can be hard-headed (no offense or anything). And you know what I think is funny? I'm a Sagittarius that's obsessed with Yusuke, and Aries and Sagittarius are supposed to be love matches lol.

Miyu: Great. Now she'll add that to the list of reasons why she loves Yusuke, and that's one damn long list.

Melissa: Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Keeper of the Apocolypse-

Miyu: Four times? Shmuck.

Melissa: .# Shmuck is my word, dammit! I still don't think that chap was that funny though… Maybe it was just the Keiko getting laid line… lol Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Melissa: Yeesh, I didn't think that many people liked Hiei/Keiko pairings. I'm not alone! ^-^

Miyu: But you're still a freak.

Melissa: That's not a bad thing.

Miyu: ()

Melissa: Um, anyway, I have something to ask of the reviewers, kay?

1) Is Keiko getting to be OOC? If she is, please tell me. I don't like writing OOC characters unless I'm being silly.

2) Is it just me, or was the beginning really repetitious?

Melissa: So yeah, could you please note on that in your review? You don't have to, but I'd appreciate it. Please review and have a nice day! ^_^


	3. Chapter 2: Confrontation

Melissa: Shmuck! I didn't know that many people liked this fic already… --^_____^-- THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!

Miyu: I can't believe it… **ELEVEN** REVIEWS?!?!

Melissa: (crying tears of joy) I'm so proud!! You guys have totally made my day—not that watching my dear and beloved Yu-chan didn't (I was watching a YYH DVD earlier… ^^). And since I love you all so much, I'm giving you another chapter!

Miyu: Another one?

Melissa: Yep! I love my reviewers! Well, maybe not Kojiro-kun, that bastard that called me "Missy"! _# Da name's Lissa, dammit! (ha ha, Brandon, I'm just kidding… Or am I? O_o ^^)

Miyu: Actually, your name's Melissa.

Melissa: Shut up!

Disclaimer: If I owned YYH, Hiei and Keiko would be an actual couple (either them or Hiei/Kurama or Hiei and my buddy Lynx or Hiei and my buddy Aohiki, or him and any of my rabid Hieinatic buds) and Yusuke would be all mine for the taking! ^_~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 2: Confession

      Keiko had been wandering the forest for half an hour, now hopelessly lost and confused. It was getting dark now and with the darkness came the cold. Keiko wrapped her coat around herself tighter and shuddered. If she didn't get to the hotel soon, she would die of hypothermia or at least suffer from frostbite. It was freezing outside!

      *Maybe I should've asked Hiei to take me back to the hotel,* she thought as she walked past a familiar looking tree. Then she noticed the shoeprint in the muddy ground near the trunk of the tree. She had definitely been here before.

      *How am I gonna get back to the hotel now?* Keiko thought with a grim expression on her face. Her dark idea then turned to pessimism, causing pools of tears to form in her chocolate eyes. Before she knew it, she had collapsed on the floor, curling herself in a ball and muffling her sobs with her arm. The dark of the night and the increasing cold was weighing heavily on Keiko now, and it was breaking her down. 

      And there was also the matter of how she would deal with Hiei later on. Right now, she was extremely confused. Hiei had just been the picture of rudeness to her, but he seemed so tender in her dreams. On one hand, she just wanted to run to him and love him, but another part of her wanted to kill the smug little youkai. But that didn't matter now. It was cold and had lost all hope of making it back to the hotel alive.

      She was giving up.

      _"Keiko! Keiko-chan, where are you?!"_

"What?!" Keiko sat up in a flash, puzzled by the voice. She wasn't sure if she had really heard it or not, but she did know one thing for sure; the voice belonged to Yusuke. Yusuke's voice—real or not—revitalized her and she began to walk again. She followed the voice for a while, and then made it out of the forest. The first thing she saw was Yusuke, pacing back and forth worriedly outside.

      "Keiko!" he gasped, finally finding her. He ran over and instinctively draped his thick red jacket around her shoulders. "Where have you been? You've been missing for hours, and you're almost blue!"

      "I-I-I was…" Keiko's teeth were chattering, making it very hard for her to speak. "I took a walk a-and g-got l-lost."

      "A walk?" Yusuke asked, still not convinced. His face still wore the worried big brother expression and he said wryly, "More like a hike through the hills… C'mon, let's get you inside."

      Yusuke led Keiko into the hotel lobby and sat her down on one of the comfy couches inside. He bought her a hot cup of coffee, which she accepted gratefully. She carefully held the cup of coffee, trying to steady it with her still trembling hands. Eventually the cup's heat coursed it's way through Keiko's hands, ceasing her shivers. She took a long sip, and then brought the cup down and smiled at Yusuke.

      "Feel better?" Yusuke asked. She nodded.

      "Yusuke," she began, looking a little timid, "thanks for everything."

      Yusuke chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders protectively. "Hey, it's no problem, _imouto-chan_," he added with a smirk.

      Keiko returned his smirk with one of her own. "Ha ha, but shouldn't you be calling me 'Oneesan'?" Yusuke irked an eyebrow at her, and then they both laughed at their own silliness.

      "Keiko!"

      Yusuke and Keiko both turned to see Botan running towards them. Botan sat down beside Keiko and enveloped her in a warm hug. Pulling back, Botan flashed a huge grin at Keiko.

      "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!" Botan exclaimed, feeling overwhelmingly relieved. "Daijobu?"

      Keiko smiled back at Botan. "I'm fine. I'm all warm now too." She took a while to explain to Botan what had happened ("I, um, got lost? Yeah, that's it!") and then paused for a moment, recalling her rendezvous with Hiei. It was then that she finally worked up enough courage to ask them about what had been on her mind for the past couple of months.

      "Um, Yusuke, Botan?" Keiko started, trying to get their attention. She looked somewhat bashful at that moment, as if she was holding back.

      "Doushita, Kei-chan?" Yusuke asked, vexed by the look on her face. 

      Keiko took another pause, as if she was trying to collect her thoughts or though she was embarrassed over something. Her cheeks were even flushed with a slight bit of color. "Um, how exactly did you come to meet Hiei?"

      Yusuke turned to Botan, who shared the same surprised look as he did. They weren't quite sure what to answer Keiko. Botan was fidgeting around, small sweat drops falling down the side of her head. Yusuke was acting pretty much the same, except for the fact that he was scratching his head instead of fidgeting around. 

      "What is it?" Keiko was perplexed. She couldn't figure out why they were so freaked out over her simple question.

      "Uh, Keiko, do you remember when Botan was helping you run away from those freaky zombie guys that were trying to kill you?" Yusuke asked, looking uncomfortable. Keiko nodded, still as baffled as before. What the heck did that have to do with Hiei?

      Yusuke leaned back in his chair and put a hand behind his head as if he trying to remember or something. "Well, while you and Botan were running, Kuwabara and I were fighting off demons in Makai to try to stop them. Koenma ordered Hiei and Kurama to help us, and that's how we all met." Botan nodded in agreement, but that still didn't settle anything for Keiko. It didn't explain the dreams.

      "Oh," Keiko said, looking disappointed. Her lips were pursed in thought, like they always were when she did heavy thinking. "Well, then that makes the dream a dream," she said, deep in her own thoughts.

      "What dream?" Botan asked, confused. Keiko hadn't told her about any dreams, and the expression on Yusuke's face showed that he knew as little as Botan did on the matter.

      Keiko was blushing and sweat dropping in embarrassment. "Well, promise you won't think I'm weird or anything, 'kay?" she asked, receiving nods and "mm-hm's". 

      Keiko took a breath. She was about to tell them about the dreams that had been plaguing her for months now. Of course, she would omit the kissing sequence; she wasn't going to tell anyone about that for a while. 

      "Okay, um, well, in these dreams," she began, "I'm lying on the ground and I can't get up. Botan's right above me, and she looks like she's in a lot of pain. And you, Yusuke, you're behind a wall of crates so I can't see you, but I can hear you. You're fighting Hiei."

      Yusuke and Botan's eyes widened. They were shocked. How was it possible for Keiko to know about that? How could she have those dreams? She was unconscious during that time, wasn't she? 

      "How did you know about that?!" Botan shrieked right before Yusuke clamped a hand over her mouth.

      "You mean it's true?!?!" Keiko stood up, looking puzzled and bewildered. "Why didn't you tell me?!" she screeched, amazed that they had never even bothered to tell her about this. Her hands were balled into fists, and her emotions were beyond intense. They didn't tell her! If they had, she could have had so many less sleepless nights where she wondered about what the heck was going on in her mind. She couldn't believe it. They didn't even consider telling her once.

      "Keiko, we were trying to protect you," Yusuke said in their defense. He had a horribly guilty look on his face that much resembled the look that Keiko had when Yusuke had died and she was blaming herself. "We thought it'd be best if you didn't know anything about the demon world."

      "You should have told me anyway!" Keiko scolded, making them shrink back. "This is why you were always gone, isn't it? I was so worried when you kept leaving; I thought you were going to die and leave me again!" At this last statement, Keiko flung herself into Yusuke's arms and started sobbing uncontrollably. "I was SCARED!! Don't you get that, you big jerk?! You scared me so badly!"

      Yusuke felt so guilty at this moment that he was beyond words. All he could do was pat her back and say an occasional "I'm sorry", which was more than Botan could do. Botan had drifted over to the other side of the couch, and was sulking in her own shame. Keiko wailed into Yusuke's chest for a few more minutes, each heaving breath slowing her sobs a little more each time. When she had finally regained her composure, Keiko spoke again, perplexed once again.

      "…But…that doesn't explain the kiss," Keiko said almost inaudibly, but just loud enough for it to reach Yusuke's ears.

      "Kiss?!" Yusuke pushed Keiko off of his chest and looked straight into her still-teary eyes. "What kiss?!"

      Keiko was freaking out once more. This wasn't the first time she'd gotten herself into this situation. In fact, Hiei was questioning her on it just a couple hours prior. Her pupils had shrunken, and there were sweat drops all over her head. 

      "Er…um… no kiss! There was no kiss!" Keiko denied, obviously lying. She was a very bad liar, since she hadn't really had much experience with lying in the past. Being the responsible student and conforming daughter she was, she had found no reason to lie before hand. 

      "Keiko…" Yusuke growled, giving her a glare that said "Be a good girl and tell me and you _won't_ get hurt."

      This look sent shivers down Keiko's spine, and she threw her hands down in defeat. "Alright, fine! Before you guys showed up, Hiei kissed me! Happy now?" she exclaimed, saying that entire statement in about two breaths.

      "HE _WHAT_?!?!' Yusuke bellowed, scaring the bejeebies out of Keiko. He stood up, clenching his fist tightly. Even his spirit energy was rising. It was scary. Enough said.

      Botan was giggling mischievously, cat ears sprouting out of her head. "I knew there was _something_ going on between you two. Meow…" she purred, playfulness glinting in her lavender eyes.

      Yusuke was already heading toward the door, sending off murderous vibes to everyone in the lobby. Keiko was tugging on his arm, pleading for him to just forget about the whole thing, but to no avail. Yusuke's mind was set on something, and nothing would keep him from doing it.

      "Yusuke, yamero onegai!" Keiko begged, trying to keep him from killing someone that night. "Please, the kiss really meant nothing to me!"

      "That's not the point!" Yusuke roared back, sending fear into Keiko. "He kissed you! He took advantage of you!"

      "NO!!!" Keiko negated his speech. "That's not true at all!"

      Yusuke gawked at her, unable to comprehend what she had just said. "What? So, you just let him kiss you? What the Hell are you talking about?! I mean, none of this makes any—"

      _WHACK!!_

      Yusuke was now face down on the ground with a red hand-shaped blob on his cheek and swirly eyes. Keiko simply took a breath and shook the pain out of her hand. 

      "Get a hold of yourself, Yu-chan," Keiko ordered. "Do you really think I'm that kind of girl? I'm not! Sure, when he initially kissed me, it was without my permission. But after it started…I kind of…didn't want him to stop."

      Keiko's revelation stopped Yusuke dead in his tracks. "So…you liked it?" Keiko nodded with a slight giggle.

      "Yeah, I kinda did."

      Yusuke gave her a smile. "Do you love him?" he asked, not really knowing what to expect.

      His question took Keiko aback. "I don't know…"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Melissa: Yeesh, I did NOT like this chapter…

Miyu: I don't like any chapters at all.

Melissa: . Meanie. But really, I don't know why, but I didn't like that chapter. It just seemed a little dry to me. Anyway, for all of you people that are limited on Japanese knowledge, here's a dictionary as to the words I used this chap!

-Chan: C'mon, just about EVERYONE knows this one, ne? It's an honorific used between friends, mostly on girls or children.

Ne: It's added to the end of sentences when asking for agreement. It's kind of like "Right?" or something like that.

Imouto: Little sister.

Oneesan: Big sister.

Daijobu: Are you okay?

Doushita: What's wrong?

Yamero/Yamete: (I think I spelled those right…()) Stop.

Onegai: Please.

Melissa: See how much I love you guys? I'm teaching you Japanese! ^_^

Miyu: But you can't speak Japanese.

Melissa: () I know… u.u Time for review responses! ^_^

FoxCryingBlood-

Melissa: Shmcuk is copyrighted to me…but I'll let you use it just because I'm nice like that. ^-^

Miyu: Don't you just love the slap scene?

Melissa: I do! ^_^ Thankies for reviewing!

sailorearth1023-

Melissa: HieixKuwabara? I don't think I've ever read any of those… O_o

Miyu: (looks up from a pile of fics) You don't wanna. They scare me.

Melissa: O_o And I'm glad Keiko's not OOC and that it wasn't repetitious. I have a tendency to think too much… ^^;; Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

IvyRaine-

Melissa: Wow, you don't like HieixKeiko pairings but you like my fic? Thanks! ^_^

Miyu: What was with the "you go girl!"?

Melissa: (shrugs) I dunno, but I appreciated it! Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

bit-Blackmage-

Miyu: I loved the slappage! Sucked for Hiei, but I thought it was hilarious!

Melissa: Of course you did, you love slapping people!

Miyu: I wouldn't be talking; you slap people with fish!

Melissa: () Yeah, that's true… Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Keeper of the Apocolypse:

Miyu: (flipping through a dictionary) Baka ningen. "Repetitious: Tediously repeating." Got it?

Melissa: No need to be mean, Miyu-chan. I just have a vocabulary that's too big for my own good. ^^;; And you're right, Keiko is kinda hard to make OOC; I was just afraid I made her seem like a love-sick puppy. Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

isisrin-

Miyu: BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Melissa got called a dog! XD  
Melissa: . Shut up, you. Anyway, thanks so much for the compliment! I feel so special! Thankies for reviewing!

Kojiro-kun-

Miyu: (holding back a rabid and foaming at the mouth Melissa) Baka yarou! You just had to call Melissa that name, didn't you?!

Melissa: _# I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!! Temee! Hiretsukan! Dobutsu! Kuttabachimae! Kono yogore! Kuso kozo! Kutabare!! 

Miyu: I'm so glad she's cursing in Japanese and not English… Anyway, only a select few people in Melissa's family get to call her (whispers) "Missy". Got that? Now, if you value your life, you will take back that name, NOW.

Melissa: (deep breath) Thankies for reviewing! ^_^ (goes back to cursing again)

Miyu: ()

DemonLady1-

Melissa: Was that soon enough?

Miyu: I think it was too soon.

Melissa: What ever. Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Edainme-

Melissa: O_o OMG, that's exactly what I was thinking! Yep, I'm really planning on having Botan screw some things up.

Miyu: It's gonna be fun! Oh, and I so agree that Hiei deserved the slap around. XD

Melissa: Thankies for reviewing! ^_^

Blkwidow77-

Miyu: Wow, someone else likes it? Yeesh, that's a lot of fans…

Melissa: Thankies so much! ^_^

Melissa: Wow, FINALLY done with the review responses!

Miyu: Kami, it took a while.

Melissa: Anyway, I've decided on there being a reviewer's poll in each chapter. Today's poll is:

Okay, since I didn't really like today's chapter, I'd like for you to rate it, kay? 

A rating of 1 is "OMG, you suck so much! You should just give up writing, because this was the worst thing I've ever read!!"

A rating of 10 is "OMG, this was so amazing! You are so talented and you are possibly the world's greatest writer ever!"

Miyu: I'm gonna give it so many 1's… XD

Melissa: . Meanie. I'm really hoping for no 1's… Some 10's would be nice. REVIEW!! Oh, and have a nice day as always. ^_^


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